


Remember who you (they) are

by Theyre_everywhere1223



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: All of the above - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Mental Illness, Canon-Typical Violence, Chris is a good, Daddy Chris, Daddy Josh, Doctor - Freeform, Fix-It, Gen, I Blame Tumblr, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I am climbing class trash, Josh Lives, Josh has major daddy issues, M/M, Mentioned and referenced child abuse, Sorry Not Sorry, father - Freeform, friend, husband
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 17:53:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4886167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theyre_everywhere1223/pseuds/Theyre_everywhere1223
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bob Washington is different to Josh than everyone else in the family, and this difference changes the way his relationship with his best friend, Chris Livingston, evolves.</p>
<p>This changes the way things happen on Blackwood mountain one year after the disappearance of Hannah and Beth Washington. </p>
<p>This one difference changes is all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remember who you (they) are

**Author's Note:**

> So I stumbled upon climbing class through tumblr and now after extensive writing over the course of three days, and even a little research, I present another piece of climbing class for the archive. This was done on my phone over the course of three days and does not have a beta. Let me know if you see any mistakes and I'll fix it.
> 
> I do not own Until Dawn and its characters, only the plot, nurse Carolina, Doctor Tommy, Jonathan and Chrissy.

"Don't fucking hit him Mike!" Chris snapped when the other man punched Josh.

"He fucking killed Jess!" Mike snapped back. Ashley and Sam watched the three men.

"I swear to god Mike! I didn't touch her!" Josh said. Mike whirled on him and was stopped when Chris grabbed his shoulder and spun him around before punching him. Mike growled but Chris was already in front of Josh, a hand on either side of his face as he started leading him through breathing exercises.

"I would remember if I killed her. I don't remember. I didn't kill her. I don't remember. I don't remember!" Josh was crying out in a panic. Chris got his friend to sit and then held one of Josh's hands to his chest. The three watched the pair in shock.

"Come on cheri. Listen to my voice and feel my heartbeat. It's okay Joshy. Breath with me. In, two, three, four, out, two, three, four. In, two, three, four, out, two, three, four. In, two, three, four, out, two, three, four. In, two, three, four, out, two, three, four. That's it cheri. Come on, just keep breathing with me." Chris soothed the frazzled and panicked man. Soon Josh had calmed.

"Joshy, when was the last time you took the pills Dr. Hill prescribed?" Chris asked. Josh's head tilted as his thought.

"Last time you told me to cher." Josh replied. His eyes were wide and lost looking. Chris bit back a curse. 

"But I brought them with me!" Josh protested at the look. He knew his best friend well. Chris smoothed out his features.

"It's okay. Sam, will you go up to the lodge and grab any bottle that has mine or Josh's name on it out of our bags and the bathroom?" Chris asked, keeping his eyes locked with Josh's. Sam dumbly nodded and ran out of the room.

"When was the last time you saw Dr. Hill?" Chris asked. Josh thought for a long minute, long enough that Sam come back with several zip lock bags with little orange bottles. She handed them and a water bottle to Chris.

"I'm not sure anymore C." Josh whispered. Chris nodded and started going through the bags. Josh upon seeing what Chris was doing, held out his palm. Chris started placing pills into the upturned palm, stopping every now and then to hand the water bottle to Josh so Josh could swallow them. Finally Chris was done.

"Okay Josh, that's it." Chris said. Josh looked at him with childish eyes before looking down at the bags the sat near them on the floor. He dug around in them before he took a bottle and shakily opened it. His shook out the correct number of pills into his palm and then held his hand out. Chris smiled and held his hand out for Josh to drop the pills into. After three more bottles Josh handed Chris the water. He watched Chris like a hawk as he dumped the pills into his mouth and then swallowed the last of the water.

"Good." Josh said softly with a satisfied smile. Chris returned it.

"Good." Chris said. Mike cleared his throat. Chris turned to them then helped Josh to his feet. He bent and picked up the bags.

"Something killed Jess and it was not Josh. We should head back upstairs and wait for Emily and Matt." Chris said. Mike's face twisted. 

"I saw him! He killed Jess! This is her blood!" Mike snapped. Josh's breathing began to speed up. 

"Breath cheri. Breath." Chris turned and said to Josh. Josh nodded and started breathing slowly again and they heard him mutter 'In, two, three, four, out, two, three, four.'.

"Does he look like he could have killed anyone Mike? He's been off his meds for almost a month. He hasn't seen Dr. Hill in god knows how long. Just the thought of Jess being dead is sending him into panic attacks. He didn't kill her." Chris snapped. Mike pursed his lips and gave a reluctant nod.

"Fine. But someone did." Mike said. Chris nodded.

"Yeah someone did." He said and he wrapped an arm around Josh and started to lead them all out of the basement. Before long they were in the lodge. They had just got there when they heard a scream.

"Is that-" Ashley started.

"It's Em!" Sam cut her off. The group raced to the door and opened it before dragging their panicked friend inside.

"Em! Calm down! What happened!" Chris yelled over the chaos. Emily looked at him.

"I... I think Matt's dead." Her voice was a near whisper.

"What do you mean Em?" Mike coxed. 

"We couldn't use the cable car so we climbed up this tower and it fell into a mine shaft, like way way down a mine shaft, and I found this pile and it had Beth's head and I think they fell down there but I don't think Hannah died in the fall, like I got this feeling that she was down there for weeks just starving and-" Emily's ramble was cut off by Josh making a choked noise. He sat heavily on the couch and they heard his breathing start to hitch. Chris immediately went to his side and sat next to him, hugging Josh to his side. Josh turned and hugged Chris.

"It's okay Josh. You did everything you could. We didn't even know about the mine shafts. You did everything you could. It's not your fault." They heard Chris reassure Josh. They listened more closely and picked up what Josh was saying.

"It's my fault. I'm their big brother. I should have found her. I should have saved them. I shouldn't have invited you all up here. Jess and Matt are dead and Hannah and Beth are dead and it's all my fault." Josh muttered, breath hitching as he cried. There was a banging on the back door. They jumped and Chris looked up at everyone. 

"Me and Mike got it." Sam said and led Mike to the back door. Minutes later they were back with a stranger. He blinked at them.

"All of you shut up. Let me say what I came to say." He snapped when everyone started to talk except Josh and Chris. They remembered him.

"It's them isn't it?" Josh whispered. The stranger looked at the pair and his eyes softened. 

"Yes. It's the Wendigo. Hannah never did pay attention and she's the one who didn't die from the fall." He replied. Josh bowed his head and Chris pulled him in closer. It was silent for a long moment.

"I have the keys to the cable car. We can leave." Josh said. The stranger looked at the group of wartorn teens.

"It would be best to do so. Where's the flare guns Joshua." He said. 

"They're in the backroom with the first aid kit. We have four." Chris said. He nodded and left the room. The others turned to the two boys.

"Who is he?" Emily asked. 

"That's Billy's boy. He's never told us his name. He grew up on the mountain. He used to tell us and the twins stories. He always said the mountain was cursed and anyone who resorted to cannibalism while on the mountain would turn into a Wendigo. The only thing that can kill them is fire." Chris said. They stared as the stranger returned.

"What's your name?" Ashley asked. He looked at her and turned back to the others. He handed the flare guns to Chris, Mike, Sam, and Emily, before hand the first aid kit to Ashley.

"We'll head to the cable car. Once we get on it we'll look at Joshua's arm and her shoulder along with any other injuries. Stay close." He growled. Ashley repressed a whimper.

"Is it safe to go there?" She asked. He shook his head.

"But it's not much safer staying here. If we leave and we get on the cable car, we'll be the safest we can be while on this mountain at night. They only hunt at night." The stranger explained.

"Before the tower fell, I got through to the rangers. They said because of the storm we'd have to wait until dawn at the earliest for them to come get us." Emily added. Everyone looked around at each other. Mike was missing fingers and covered in blood, both his and Jess's, Emily was bleeding from her shoulder and limping from a sprained ankle and a gash on her thigh, Ashley was shaking and covered in fake blood, Josh was silent like they had never seen him, even when Hannah and Beth first went missing and later declared most likely dead, Chris and Sam were in the best shape, but even then they were both shaken, Sam was likely coming down with hypothermia, Chris wasn't leaving Josh's side and every single one of them were covered in dirt, snow, and in Josh's, Ashley's, Mike's, and Emily's case, blood. They had to get off the mountain and they couldn't wait until dawn.

"Okay, let's go. Chris make sure you have yours and Josh's meds." Ashley took charge, standing straight up. Everyone stood and headed to the door. The stranger, Chris, and Josh led the way. Ashley followed them with Emily next to her and Sam and Mike took the rear. The group quickly and as quietly as possible, made their way down the mountain toward the cable car. They were in sight of it when a Wendigo appeared.

"Run!" The stranger shouted. The group sprinted. Chris kept Josh and Ashley in front of him. Soon he shoved Emily ahead too and as he reached to door he stopped and turned, raising his gun. Sam and Mike raced past him and he fired as the stranger turned his homemade flamethrower on the Wendigo. It went up in flames with a shriek before Chris dashed inside with the stranger. They turned and shut the door, flipping the lock. Josh was putting the key inside the board. Seconds later the cable car reached them.

"Everyone get on." The stranger ordered. They quickly moved filed on and as they did so they heard a scream.

"MIKE! HELP ME!!" Was the words carried to them. Mike went to call out but Chris smacked a hand over his mouth and Josh's hands went over Emily's and Sam's and the stranger just glared at Ashley.

"They can mimic voices Mike. They're trying to lure us out. We have to stay still. Don't move a muscle." Chris whispered, frozen. Mike gave a minute nod. Slowly, with barely there movements, Chris and Josh lowered their hands. Everyone ignored how their hands latched onto one another on the way down.

The next several minutes passed in silence and still forms as Jess's voice changed to Matt's and then Hannah's before turning to Beth's before it repeated itself. With each new voice it grew farther away until by the time they moved they had only heard Hannah's voice twice and Beth's once and it had been at least five minutes since they had heard any voices. The stranger ushered them onto the car and climbed on after them. No one moved. Chris and Josh huddled together, Ashley and Emily held tightly to the other's hand and Mike and Sam stood, back to back watching the windows while the stranger watched the door. After a few minutes he nodded and Chris pressed the button and the cable car took off toward the bottom of the mountain. Once they were far enough away the stranger sat and Ashley took that as her cue to open the first aid kit. 

Emily shrugged off her jacket and pulled her sweater down over her shoulder. Everyone jumped back.

"That's a fucking bite!" Sam said. The stranger sighed and Emily looked panicked.

"She's fine. As long as she didn't eat anyone, she's fine. Scratches and bites won't turn you." The stranger said. Everyone sighed in relief and Ashley started to tend to her wounds. After a few minutes she moved towards Josh for the first time. He flinched. Chris took the first aid kit from her.

"Come on Joshy, let me look at your arm." Chris soothed. Josh nodded and soon the entire left side of Josh's body was open to the winter air. They started at the multiple bruises and scars on his body. Not every bruise looked fresh. Yet, what really caught their attention was the deep stab wound on his bicep. Chris frowned at it and took a water bottle that had been forgotten in the car and poured it over the wound to clear the blood away. He ignored Josh's gasp and grabbed the alcohol wipes. He use four of them on Josh before threading the needle that was in the kit. 

"Okay Josh,-"

"Deep breathes, I know cochise." Josh said. The two shared bitter smiles, and Ashley had to look away as Chris started to stitch up Josh's shoulder. A few minutes later Chris was done and pulled Mike's hand towards him. He unwrapped it and repeated the cleaning process on it. Finally he nodded and wrapped it tightly in gauze.

"That should cover it until we get to the hospital. I didn't want to sew it because God knows they'd just take the stitches out to check it out." Chris explained. 

"But won't they do the same with Josh's?" Sam asked. Josh had now cover his shoulder.

Josh and Chris scoffed.

"No. They're too used to it in regards to Josh. They'll give him some heavy antibiotics and keep him overnight to make sure everything is alright and then he'll come home." Chris said. They blinked while Chris spun to face Josh.

"Which reminds me. If I ever catch you throwing your pills away again you won't like the consequences Joshua. I'm calling Dr. Hill tomorrow and making an appointment with him." Chris growled. Josh opened his mouth to protest.

"I do not want to hear it Joshua. I don't care what your excuse is, if there is a problem with your meds you say something and we get it fix, you don't stop taking them and then lie about it. You know that." Chris snapped. Josh nodded.

"Okay. I'm sorry Chris." He murmured. Chris's face softened.

"I know cheri, I know." And he hugged Josh to him. Ashley cleared her throat.

"What do you mean they're use to it?" She asked. Chris sighed.

"Later Ash. When Josh is a bit more clear headed and can decide if he wants you know." Chris directed this at the whole group. Before anyone could reply the cable car jerked to a stop. The quickly streamed out of the car and into the station.

"You kids have a car waiting for you?" The stranger asked. Chris, Josh, and Ashley nodded. 

"I drove up." Chris and Ashley said. He nodded.

"Okay, Christopher, you drive everyone. Your car's a six seater. I'm going to head back up and kill some Wendigo and see if I can find your friends, Matthew and Jessica. It's possible that they may be alive." He said. They nodded. 

"Thank you, Billy's boy. If you find Matt, he has a flare gun. I found one on the tower and gave it to him." Emily said. He smiled at the wreck of a girl.

"Okay Emily. Ashley, give me your keys. If I find them they'll need a way out." He replied. Ashley handed him the keys and the six teens, Josh and Chris the oldest, about to turn 20 in a few weeks, and Ashley as the youngest have just turn 19, piled into Chris's car. He took the driver's spot, and made Josh take the middle front and Sam took it upon herself to take the last seat on the front bench seat.  
Mike and Emily boxed Ashley in in the back seat. Chris started the car and after letting it warm up for a few minutes, took off, blasting everyone with warm air. Half way down and everyone except Chris, Sam, and Mike were asleep. Josh fell asleep on Chris's shoulder, an arm sneaking around his back to hold Chris, with Chris's only response to move that arm up and around Josh's shoulder. Emily fell asleep on her window and soon after Ashley fell asleep on her. 

"What are you and Josh?" Sam asked in the silence. Chris looked at her briefly.

"I told you we met in the third grade, right? Well we were like, eight almost nine. About two years later more people were noticing Josh's mood swings, not just me, the twins, my parents and the Washingtons. Bob Washington couldn't keep denying it so Mrs. Washington finally took Josh to a doctor. He was diagnosed with chronic depression and mild anxiety but after last year it started to get worse. I took him to see Dr. Hill to be reevaluated. Dr. Hill says he has schizophrenia. And Josh, he's my everything. We were eight, not quite nine when we met. I'm turning twenty in a week and a half and Josh is in five days. We've known each other for eleven and a half years. He's my everything and I'm his." Chris said.the pair stared.

"Oh god. You're in love with him." Mike said. Chris just nodded.

"What about Ashley?" Sam asked. Chris sighed. No one noticed her waking up and listening in on the conversation.

"Don't get me wrong, I like her, she's a great girl, beautiful too, but... Almost twelve years. Josh has been living with me for almost two years. He moved out the day he turned eighteen. He's on my parent's insurance because no matter how much he loved the twins and loves their mom, he would not stay in a house with Bob Washington longer than he had too. Hell, half the time my parents gave me more money in my allowance because they knew Josh need his meds and they know the side of Bob Washington only his wife and kids knew before me and Josh became friends. If I didn't know Josh, or if Bob Washington was different, I'd probably love Ashley, I'd want to marry her and have children with her but as it is... Me and Josh are still trying to figure out how to tell my parents that we shouldn't be allowed to go to Vegas by ourselves. Just because we're under age does not mean that we didn't get plastered and married. It was when my parents took us for the new year and they had to leave early because of an emergency with one of their cases." Chris said. He looked down at Josh with affection filled eyes before looking back up.

"I'm glad." Ashley spoked, startling them.

"Ash-" Chris started.

"No Chris, it's okay. I'm glad you're happy, and I'm glad Josh has someone like you. I always knew liking you was something of a fool's errand. We could all see how close you two were, and while neither of them said anything about you guys being in a relationship, Hannah and Beth always told me to move on and that you would never truly look at me that way." Ashley cut him off as he drove them into the town at the bottom of the mountain. Chris smiled sadly at her.

"I'm sorry I never said anything. I should have." He said. She nodded.

"Yeah, you should have but it's okay. It may be the 21st century but some people still react badly to same sex couples." Ashley said before turning to wake up Emily. Chris was less than five minutes from the hospital. He started to wake Josh. By the time Chris parked, everyone was awake. They piled out of the car and began the slow, but short, walk to the ER. Once they walked into the near empty room they were swarmed by nurses.

"What happened to you guys Chris?" One asked.

"We went up to the mountain and Josh was off his meds and played a cruel prank and we discovered Billy's boy's stories were true." Chris explained. All of them froze for a moment before the nurses burst into activity.

"Okay everyone, you know the drill. Get them into examine room four, and into gowns!" The nurse who had first spoke called over the chaos. The group was hustled into a room and given gowns. Josh and Chris immediately started to change while the girls went into the bathroom to change and only once they were inside did Mike start to change. Soon a doctor was in the room and checking them over. The room had five beds in it and even faster they were all in bed with ivs and food. The doctor stitched up Emily's shoulder and leg, Mike's hand, the cuts on Sam's palms, a cut on Chris's forehead and a cut on Ashley's cheek before leaving the room. Chris and Josh carefully laid next to each other on one of the beds.

"Okay what happened while I was sleeping? I fell asleep and everyone except Chris was mad at Josh and now everyone's cool with him?" Emily asked, staring at Chris and Josh, Josh on the left side of the bed with his iv in his left arm and Chris on the right side with his iv in his right arm.

"I talked with Sam and Mike and Ashley woke up and over heard." Chris said. Josh looked at him in question. Chris nodded. Josh sighed and burrowed down into Chris and fell asleep. 

"Well what did you tell them?" She asked. Chris sighed.

"I told them of our history. We've known each other for over half our lives. I've been with him through all the ups and downs. I love Josh, he is my everything and I am his. We got married a few months ago in Vegas." Chris said briefly. She blinked but anything she was going to say was interrupted.

"Christopher! You two are in so much trouble!" The main nurse that dealt with Josh and Chris scolded. 

"Oh come Carolina! We haven't even told my parents! It was Vegas wedding!" Chris protested. She sighed.

"Okay, you're off the hook this time." She said. He smiled at her.

"I just came to have you guys fill out your sign in papers." She said. She handed each of them a clipboard, though Chris got two. 

"I'm going to stay in here in case you need any help." She said. Everyone silently filled the papers out. Near the end Chris spoke.

"Carolina, should I put married names or how they are on the insurance? Because like I said, my parents don't know and so haven't changed the names." Chris said. Josh stirred and woke up.

"Do it as on the insurances policy Chris and then you have to tell your parents so you can get it fixed." Carolina said. He nodded and finished the papers which only needed to have their names filled out. 

"You told them?" Josh mumbled. Chris nodded as he handed the clipboard to Carolina.

"Just Carolina and our friends. They deserved some explanation and Carolina walked in at the right moment cheri." Chris said. Josh looked up at everyone.

"Congrats Josh." 

"Congratulations Josh." Mike and Ashley said. He smiled as Sam, Emily, and Carolina added their congratulations.

"Thanks guys." Josh mumbled. Chris hugged the blushing man to him. Josh had a happy little smile and the doctor walked back in. He took in the scene and rolled his eyes.

"Carolina, get out. These kids need to sleep and you need to start making phone calls." He said. Carolina, Josh, and Chris laughed.

"Aw, Tommy, you're just upset that I knew first." Carolina said and left the room before he could reply. He turned to Chris and Josh.

"We may have gotten married at new year's while we were in Vegas." Josh said. His eyes popped.

"Damn it! You two just lost me a hundred bucks. Couldn't you have done it like normal people?" The doctor complained. Both men laughed and shook their heads. He sighed we a smile.

"Of course not. All of you should get some sleep while you can. Ashley and Emily both for sure have a concussion but when we come to wake them up we'll be waking all of you to just check on how you're doing. Sleep well." He said before flicking off the lights and leaving. The room was still faintly light, dark enough to sleep but light enough that nurses and doctors could navigate the room without turning the light on.

"How do they all know you?" Sam broke the silence. Everyone was laying in their beds, Chris and Josh wrapped around each other in their bed, blankets pulled up. Josh and Chris shared a look. A nod from Chris and a nod from Josh and they both sighed. 

"My father... I don't know why but he has always liked me the least. He loved the twins. Thought they hung the moon and the stars but... He's never liked me. When we were kids we'd spend a lot of time up on the mountain and I got hurt a lot." Josh said haltingly. Chris held him tighter.

"The first time I saw Bob Washington hit Josh we were about ten. We'd known each other for almost two years. I'd met Hannah and Beth and they, along with a reluctant Josh invited me up to the lodge for a few weeks that summer. Once I was there the twins seemed relieved and so did Josh and Mel, but Bob was angry. He knew what his daughters had thought and though he never did anything to them,... We all paid for the assumption that around me he wouldn't do anything." Chris looked both angry and heartbroken. Josh grabbed his face and began whispering things to his husband, and soon he had him calmed down.

"What'd he do?" Mike asked. Both men sighed.

"I almost died. He told us he had something to show us in the basement with all his movie magic shit and once we were there he threw Chris into a wall and gave him a concussion and broke his wrist and then he turned around and kicked the shit out of me. He broke my arm, both ankles, and several ribs. One of them punctured my lung. They told everyone that even though they told us to stay out of the basement I had heard father talk to mom about something and drug Chris down there and we had started running and missed a step and fell. Chris had landed on top of me." Josh said slowly. 

"After about six or seven trips here with Josh, I asked Tommy to teach me how to stitch up wounds. And so he taught me. My parents didn't find out until we were 13. Josh had climbed through my window and my mom walked in on me stitching up a gash on his side. Bob Washington gets people fired for reporting it so everyone's just stopped doing so and just concentrates on keeping Josh alive." The room was silent after Chris finished talking and soon everyone fell asleep into a nightmare filled sleep.

~Eight years later~

Chris concentrated on the wound on the child's side as he stitched it up.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" His friend asked. Chris looked up at the other ten year old. 

"What's your name?" Chris asked.

"My name's Chris, but everyone calls me Chrissy." He said. Chris's eyes filled with memories of over ten years before.

"My name's Chris too, and feel free to call me that, both of you. Chrissy, pull up that stool and I'll show you what I'm doing here." Chris said. Chrissy grabbed the other stool and rolled it over.

"Jonathan, how did you get this? Did someone give it to you?" Chris asked. Chrissy and Jonathan shared a look and Chrissy nodded.

"Yeah, my grandfather did." Jonathan mumbled. Chris repressed a sigh. He wasn't sure why he decided that of any hospital he picked this one, the one where Tommy had taught him how to do stitches.

"Does he hurt you often?" Chris asked.

"He does but Jonny's grandma usually takes us to the other hospital when we're up at Blackwood." Chrissy answered for him. Chris repressed another sigh.

"Who's your grandparents?" Chris asked.

"Bob and Melinda Washington. I live with them because my mom's family's all dead and she died when I was three and my dad's their son but he doesn't know about me because the lady couldn't find him and he doesn't talk to grandfather and grandma anymore." Jonathan explained. Chris breath caught in his throat. This was his stepson. This was Josh's son that neither of them knew existed that Bob Washington was abusing.

"Well it just so happens that I know your dad and your grandparents, and let me tell you, you won't be going home with them." Chris said as he finishes the stitch.

"Really? The last doctor that said I wouldn't have to go home with them lost his job." Jonathan said. Chris sighed.

"Yeah, when your dad, Josh, was kid a few doctors lost their jobs too, but you don't need to worry about that here and with me. I know people that won't let me be fired and will get you out of there Jonathan. Have you ever heard of Joshua Livingston?" Chris asked. Both boys nodded, eyes wide.

"Yes! His movies are awesome! Except Until Dawn, that one was terrifying, and it's supposed to be base on a true story up on Blackwood Pine!" Jonathan said. Chris laughed.

"It is based on a true story. Mike, he's a ranger up on Blackwood now, he sold the story and Josh snatched it up, said if anyone was going to be in charge of it, it would be another survivor. Josh changed his name in the movie to Nathan and Mike said not to change his." Chris said. Jonathan's eyes went wide.

"You mean, Joshua Livingston is my dad? And he was Nathan? That means I have a step dad! Do you know who Jacob is?" Jonathan asked. Chris scrunched up his nose.

"I'm still don't like that. Of all the names Josh could have picked, he went and made my name Jacob." Chris said. Jonathan's jaw dropped.

"You're my step dad?" He asked. Chris finished the stitch.

"I am, and you can call me and your father whatever you like, Josh and Chris or dad and Chris, whatever you prefer. I just want to say that we're sorry you had to live with them. We didn't know about you." Chris said. Jonathan looked at him and he busied his hands by taping gaze to his side. He finished and threw away his gloves. Jonathan had pulled his shirt down and was sitting up. 

"You really want me to come live with you and dad?" Chris nodded. "But you don't know me! What if I'm a horrible kid?" Jonathan cried out. Chrissy went to his friends side.

"Hey, calm down dude. I'm not that great helping you out of panic attacks yet." Chrissy said. Jonathan started a slow harsh breathing. Chris got a little closer.

"Breath with me Jonathan. In, two, three, four, out, two, three, four. In, two, three, four, out, two, three, four. That's it, just breath." Chris said. Jonathan calmed down quickly.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Chrissy asked as Jonathan protested,

"See, I'm broken!" Chris's head snapped back to Jonathan's face.

"Jonathan, listen to me, I don't care who told you that you are broken because you have panic attacks, they are wrong. You are not broken. If you are broken because of that, so is Josh, and me, and everyone who made it off that mountain with us. Mike is the only one who has been back up on the mountain in eight years and it took him five years to do it without a panic attack. Me and Josh had them before that happened. For months after we had them at the drop of the hat. And you know what? You could be the worst kid in the world and we would still want you to live with us and we would still love you, because you are our kid. The moment I realized you were Josh's son, my stepson, I loved you and I will until my last breath and I've known Josh since we were eight. I've known him for almost twenty years and I know the instant I tell him it will be the same for him. We don't care. You are our son now." Chris reassured. Jonathan's eyes filled with tears and he hugged Chris.

"Can I call you pa and Josh dad?" He asked. Chris nodded.

"Of course son. Of course." After several minutes Jonathan pulled back.

"Okay, I'm going to go get nurse Ashley, she was Sarah in Until Dawn, and she's going to sit with you guys while I call Mike, Sam, and dad okay?" Chris said. The two boys nodded and as Chris went to leave Jonathan spoke.

"Can Grandma wait with us? I know she didn't stop grandfather but she tried to keep us away from each other and she always told us stories about Aunt Hannah and Aunt Beth and sometimes even Dad." Jonathan said. Chris nodded.

"Yeah, okay. Her and Ashley will come sit with you. I'll be back soon, okay?" They nodded and he left the room. Once the door was closed, he sighed and leaned against the wall where Ashely found him moments later.

"Chris are you okay?" She asked. Chris took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'm good. Can you go in there and wait with Jonathan and Chrissy while I get Melinda and call Josh, Mike, and Sam?" Ashley nodded and turned to walk away before stopping and turning back.

"Melinda who? And why are you calling Josh?" Ashley asked. Chris sighed.

"Ashley, please just go sit with my ten year old stepson and his best friend while I get his grandmother, at his request, and call to inform his father of his existence and call Sam and Mike to get him out of that house because his grandfather treats him like he did his father. Please." Chris near snapped and turned and walked towards the waiting room. He heard Ashley gasp and quickly go into the examine room. He saw Melinda Washington sitting in a chair ringing her hands.

"Melinda Washington?" He called. Several heads snapped up. She stood and when she saw him she let out a sigh of relief.

"Chris... I've never been so glad for a rumor to be correct before. I've been looking for a way to get in contact with you and Josh for the past seven years. Josh, he has-" Chris cut her off.

"I know, I talked with Jonathan. Sam's a social worker now and I'm going to call her after I call Josh, but Jonathan wants you to wait with him." Chris said. She nodded and he led her down the hall to Josh's room. He led her inside.

"Jonathan, I have your grandma. I'm going to go call dad now okay?" Chris said. Jonathan nodded.

"Okay. Hurry back Pa?" He requested. Chris nodded.

"Of course son. I'm just going to call dad and your aunt Sam and uncle Mike, and in the meanwhile your grandma and Chrissy will be here and so will your Aunt Ashley, and if you need anything, just ask Aunt Ashley and she'll get for you okay?" Chris checked. He smiled and nodded. Chris leaned over and quickly pressed a kiss to the top of Jonathan's head and ruffled Chrissy's hair and left the room where the two women were gaping at the pair.

"Hi cher, can I call you back? I'm in a meeting." Josh answered his phone. Chris sighed.

"Not unless you absolutely can't put that meeting on the back burner for a while. It's really important Josh. He practically heard Josh freeze.

"It can go on the back burner. What is it Chris?" Josh said. He heard people leaving the room.

"You know how a few weeks before we go together and we went to that party and you slept with that girl, Sharon Thompson? Well she died seven years ago, and as you remember, she didn't have any family and so for her three year old son they had to rely on his birth certificate where she named the father but he never signed. They couldn't find him because he had changed his name but they found his parents and so Jonathan's been living with them for seven years, and he's in my ER because Bob Washington seems to hate those of the male gender, though it doesn't help that Jonathan looks so damn much like you. Josh, we have a ten year old son who has been living with your father of all people. I just had to put ten stitches into my ten year old because of his grandfather and his best friend, who's name is fucking Chris, even if he goes by Chrissy, asked me to teach him how to put stitches into a human so he could help his friend. Once I realized who we were to the kid and told him that and that there was no way in hell he was going back there with your mother he started crying and having a panic attack because he thinks he's a bad kid and that he's fucking broken and I had to tell him that it didn't matter because we would always love him and that started the moment we knew he was ours and then he ask if he could call me pa and you dad. When your mom saw me she almost started crying she was so happy. She's been looking to get in contact with us for seven years. We have a ten year old son sitting my ER Josh." The word streamed from his mouth, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Neither spoke and then Chris heard clattering.

"Chris, I'm leaving right now. I'll be there soon, what's Jonathan's full name?" He asked. Chris breathed.

"It's Jonathan Wayne Thompson, why?" Chris asked. He heard the scratch of a pen on paper and the paper tear.

"Okay, Chris, go hug our son. Tell him I love him and I will be there soon. I'll call Sam and Em and Mike. Go be with our kid." Josh ordered. Chris nodded.

"I love you cher." Josh said.

"I love you too cheri. I'm going to go now, I have to let Tommy know." Chris said. 

"Okay. I'll see you soon." Josh said.

"See you soon." And Chris hung up the phone. He slipped the phone in his pocket and stood up. He quickly made his way to Tommy's office.

"Chris, I know already. Ashley has texted me and Josh called me. Go be with your son. Go." Tommy ordered. Chris nodded and headed back out the door. 

"Oh, and Chris? You're now on two weeks vacation time. I'll be down as soon as I have the rest of his medical history." Tommy said. Chris smiled and nodded his thanks before practically running to Jonathan's room.

When he walked in Jonathan jumped to his feet and ran to hug him.

"Hey, be careful or you're going to rip your stitches fils." Chris chided before he bent and picked the ten year old up.

"What does fils mean pa?" Jonathan asked. Chris smiled.

"It means son in French. My mother, she's French and met my father while he was in Paris for work. They fell in love and got married." Chris explained. Jonathan smiled. 

"I like that. What's father or dad?" He asked.

"Father is père and dad is papa." Chris said as he moved to sit down with Jonathan. He nodded and thought for a moment.

"Grandma do we have anything on like that on dad's side?" Jonathan asked. Melinda thought for a moment.

"Well, my grandfather, your great-great-grandfather was from Germany. He was smuggled out in world war two by a group of nuns and taken to England where he later went to America." She explained. His eyes brightened and he turned to Chris.

"Pa, do you know German?" He asked. Chris shook his head.

"No I don't, but I think my friend Tommy, who's a doctor too, might know. He's coming by later to meet you." Chris said. He nodded.

"What did Dad say?" He asked. Chris smiled.

"Oh, well he's on his way here to meet you and you know what else he said?" Chris teased lightly. He shook his head.

"He says to tell you that he loves you." Jonathan's eyes widened. 

"But he's never even met me!" Jonathan protested. Chrissy smacked the back of Jonathan's head before anyone could say anything.

"He's your dad! Of course he loves you even if he's never met you, idiot." Chrissy said. No one moved.

"I guess you're right cochise." Jonathan replied. Ashley and Chris laughed as there was a knock on the door. 

"What's so funny?" Chrissy asked as Ashley opened the door and Sam and Josh walked in.

"Well, Josh called Chris that a lot when we were kids." Ashley said. Josh walked over to Chris and slipped an arm around the now standing man and kissed his cheek, studying the two boys.

"What did I call you?" Josh asked.

"You called me cochise." Chris replied. Josh laughed.

"Oh god, I did use that a lot didn't I?" Josh said with a smile. Chris nodded.

"Jonathan, this is your dad, Josh this is our son Jonathan, and his best friend, his own cochise apparently, Chrissy." Chris introduced. Josh smiled and nodded to Chrissy and turn knelt in front of Jonathan.

"Hey Jonathan. How are you feeling about coming to live with us?" Josh asked. Jonathan watched him for a moment, the entire room holding their breath.

"Do you want me to?" Jonathan asked, wary. Josh just nodded. Since that day, Josh had improved a lot and one thing he learned, is sometimes saying nothing was the best course of action.

"Good, because I like pa, and I love your movies and really want to pick your brain dad." Jonathan said before hugging Josh. Josh shifted him to his right side and picked him up, Chris at his side and lending a guiding hand.

"I'm not too heavy am I?" Jonathan asked worried.

"No, Jonathan, you're not, your dad just has a bad left shoulder from an accident with a pair of scissors when we were teenagers." Ashley answered. Chris and Josh nodded in agreement.

"That's right! You're based off of Nathan and Sarah stabbed him with a pair of scissors, which means Ashley stabbed you with a pair of scissors!" Jonathan said, looking at Ashley with an odd expression. Josh chuckled and Ashley blushed.

"Guilty as charged, but he did punch after and knocked me out and tied me up twice." Ashley replied. Jonathan nodded.

"So you like Until Dawn?" Sam asked. Both boys nodded, only now noticing her.

"Oh yeah. Jonny loves horror movies, especially Joshua Livingston ones. Until Dawn is his favorite. I know because I have to watch it at least once a week and I hate horror movies. His favorite character is Sam." Chrissy answered. Sam smiled and nodded.

"Oh, why is that?" Josh asked. Jonathan was blushing.

"Well her actress is really pretty and she's so freaking cool. I mean, Nathan chases her in a towel and she never loses it, she's a great climber and throughout the whole movie, even when she finds out that one of the Wendigos was Hadria, her best friend, and that she dug up her twin Bea, she never loses her cool. She kept calm and even Mike lost his cool which lost him major badass points especially with all the ones he earned by being brave enough to cut off his own fingers rather than risk breaking that machete trying to pry it open... But well recently I've started liking Nathan more." He trailed off at the end, seemingly embarrassed. Chrissy reached over and touched his ankle.

"Nathan's really the strongest of them all in a lot of ways. He's sick and he did what he needed to do until Hadria and Bea died and even then you get the feeling that he didn't just stop seeing his doctor or taking his meds, no way would Jacob ever let him just stop, but that he fought to do what he was supposed to, until he couldn't because his meds were faulty and weren't helping and he cracked under the pressure of his hallucinations, which can be really scary sometimes, and he gave into their demands even when it meant he'd have to talk to his father. But mostly, I like Nathan because at the end he won. He won against his own mind and let Jacob help him instead of trying to do it on his own, which sometimes I need reminding of so I don't push grandma and Chrissy away and let them help me." Jonathan was passionate about this, the hand on his ankle bolstering his confidence and soon he was waving his arms to make his point. Josh tried not to cry at his son's words.

"Well you know who else didn't want their name changed for the movie? Sam over there." Chris said. Jonathan look over at her and wiggled out of his father's arms to walk over to her. Chris led Josh to a chair and watched their son talk to their friend. Chrissy made his way over. 

"Thank you." Chrissy said. Both men turned to him.

"Why?" Chris asked. Chrissy smiled, turning to look at Jonathan.

"Jonny's my best friend and I've never been able to help him. The first time I saw him hit Jonny he threw me down a hill up on Blackwood when I told him if he did it again I'd tell the cops. I broke my leg and Jonny didn't talk to me for three weeks because he didn't want me to get hurt again. You're getting him out of that house and away from him, so thank you." Chrissy said. Chris hugged the boy.

"Don't thank us. It was up on Blackwood I saw Bob hit Josh. He also threw me into a wall giving me a concussion and broken wrist before he even touched Josh. He almost killed Josh that day. And you, in this very room is where I asked Josh's doctor to teach me how to do stitches and this room is where we told our friends and my parents we got married." Chris said. Chrissy smiled at them and nodded before running over to his friend.

"Would you look at that cochise? We have little boy with his own Chris looking out for him." Josh said, leaning into Chris. Chris smiled and nodded as Emily and Mike walked in.

"That we do. That we do Joshy." Chris replied. They watched their family interact with smiles on their faces.

Life was good. Eight years before they had sat in this room as a group of broken, traumatized people, now look at them; Mike was a ranger and cop on Blackwood mountain and in Blackwood City, Emily was a leading DA in their district, Ashley was lined up to take the head nurse position when Carolina retired in a few years, Chris was the trauma attending physician at Blackwood regional medical, and Josh was a successful director, screenwriter, and producer. 

Life was good.

**Author's Note:**

> So I stumbled upon climbing class through tumblr and now after extensive writing over the course of three days, and even a little research, I present another piece of climbing class for the archive. This was done on my phone over the course of three days and does not have a beta. Let me know if you see any mistakes and I'll fix it.
> 
> I do not own Until Dawn and its characters, only the plot, nurse Carolina, Doctor Tommy, Jonathan and Chrissy.


End file.
